“It seems they (the thieves) intended to steal Rs 3 lakh that was kept in the vault. They, however, failed to open the double lock on it,” Ellisbridge police Sub-Inspector K G Harvara said, adding that at least two persons, including one who specialises in breaking locks, might be involved in the incident.

In another house break-in reported at the Ellisbridge police station on Saturday, cash and jewellery worth Rs 3.05 lakh were stolen from the residence of one Naresh Shah at Trisha Flats in the Paldi area in the morning.

Shah and his wife are currently on a vacation and his son-in-law, Mitang Shah, spotted the theft when he came to the house. The police said the thieves broke into the house by removing metal grills on one of the windows and fled with cash and valuables kept in a cupboard.